TR Air-Force TF-X KAAN Fighter Jet

[Umigami]

Do the proportions in this AI-made side view of the KAAN look right?

 

[boredaf]

View attachment 81603

Do the proportions in this AI-made side view of the KAAN look right?

Cockpit and air intakes look wrong to me.

 

[Huelague]

 

[MonteCarlo]

MKE 2025 yearly report says that they finished RnD for Radar absorbent Nano materials that can be used as structural elements in aircrafts. Doubt it would be used in Kaan but I don't know where else to put it

 

[Pokemonte13]

MKE 2025 yearly report says that they finished RnD for Radar absorbent Nano materials that can be used as structural elements in aircrafts. Doubt it would be used in Kaan but I don't know where else to put it

Cant even build proper munitions/guns in the past but all of a sudden its LM. We have a couple of smaller companies working on Ram coating but those are most like the more budget friendly options to reduce Rcs without great investments. At most these are for guided munitions

 

[MonteCarlo]

Cant even build proper munitions/guns in the past but all of a sudden its LM. We have a couple of smaller companies working on Ram coating but those are most like the more budget friendly options to reduce Rcs without great investments. At most these are for guided munitions

Yeah it saying it can be used as structural material made me think of Kamikaze drones. It is probably a composite that will slightly reduce the rcs or that would be the most logical explanation

 

[Pokemonte13]

Yeah it saying it can be used as structural material made me think of Kamikaze drones. It is probably a composite that will slightly reduce the rcs or that would be the most logical explanation

The us started using black painted TLAM this would likely be similar

 

[Strong AI]

EXCLUSIVE | TUSAŞ General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu:

"(Regarding KAAN's engines) We already have 10 F110 engines in stock for our prototypes.

As of July 9, we can say we've received export licenses for 80 more engines. The rest are standard procedures.

We'll work with the GE team to get the engines on time.

We have 2-2.5 years until serial production. There's no issue in getting these engines on time to support our serial production."

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2079593567920529908

 

[Sanchez]

EXCLUSIVE | TUSAŞ General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu:

"(Regarding KAAN's engines) We already have 10 F110 engines in stock for our prototypes.

As of July 9, we can say we've received export licenses for 80 more engines. The rest are standard procedures.

We'll work with the GE team to get the engines on time.

We have 2-2.5 years until serial production. There's no issue in getting these engines on time to support our serial production."

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2079593567920529908

As this was not a FMS sale, we don't have the details. Doubt these will be license built; but probably assembled here?

 

[TR_123456]

As this was not a FMS sale, we don't have the details. Doubt these will be license built; but probably assembled here?

Havent we license built them already before?

 

[Afif]

EXCLUSIVE | TUSAŞ General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu:

"(Regarding KAAN's engines) We already have 10 F110 engines in stock for our prototypes.

As of July 9, we can say we've received export licenses for 80 more engines. The rest are standard procedures.

We'll work with the GE team to get the engines on time.

We have 2-2.5 years until serial production. There's no issue in getting these engines on time to support our serial production."

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2079593567920529908

So that's two squadrons worth of KAAN (32/36 airframes) by 2032 along with 16/8 spare engines.

What happens if TF35000 delayed beyond 2033? Do they ask for more F110?

 

[TheInsider]

So that's two squadrons worth of KAAN (32/36 airframes) by 2032 along with 16/8 spare engines.

What happens if TF35000 delayed beyond 2033? Do they ask for more F110?

40 KAANs will be delivered till 2032. Some of the prototypes will be converted and delivered. There will be 2 or 3 prototypes at the TUSAS after 2029. TUSAS can always buy small amount of engines without going to congress.

 

[Saithan]

Seeing how all gameplans gets changed, I wouldn't count my eggs just yet.

 

[IC3M@N FX]

Apart from that, there has been no sign of the prototypes for almost four months; since the announcement (Presentation), absolutely nothing has happened (at least officially) – how do they intend to make up for lost time? In fact, PT1 and PT2 should have been flying a month ago – the time gap is simply too great. If it takes them nearly a year to build 1–2 prototypes, and a further 5–6 months to install and validate the subsystems, then I can already say that series production won’t begin until 2030/31.

After all, they want to build a total of 5–6 airworthy Prototypes, at the rate they’re going today, it’s good night to them.

 

[Zafer]

Apart from that, there has been no sign of the prototypes for almost four months; since the announcement (Presentation), absolutely nothing has happened (at least officially) – how do they intend to make up for lost time? In fact, PT1 and PT2 should have been flying a month ago – the time gap is simply too great. If it takes them nearly a year to build 1–2 prototypes, and a further 5–6 months to install and validate the subsystems, then I can already say that series production won’t begin until 2030/31.

After all, they want to build a total of 5–6 airworthy Prototypes, at the rate they’re going today, it’s good night to them.

It is always the first ones that takes longer to come out, remaining production should come out quicker. There is no grounds to start finding weakness.

 

[IC3M@N FX]

I’m not looking for weaknesses, but I am impatient. TAI owes nothing to anyone but itself and Turkey. But hardly anything has happened since 2024, and that is simply not enough. I realise that a fifth-generation aircraft is an extremely complex undertaking that cannot simply be conjured up out of thin air, and I’m not familiar with the internal tests – who knows, perhaps they’ve even flown unofficially and the public knows nothing about it.

But at least take some photos and videos, even if it’s just being painted or standing on the ground, etc. TAI really has a lot to learn from Baykar when it comes to public relations. It does – without exaggerating – make a very professional impression, but radio silence is also counterproductive. A fighter aircraft is, after all, a product and thrives on publicity, visibility and presentation. Baykar understands these mechanisms; they release new videos of their products almost every week to ensure they remain in the public eye.

 

[Zafer]

I’m not looking for weaknesses, but I am impatient. TAI owes nothing to anyone but itself and Turkey. But hardly anything has happened since 2024, and that is simply not enough. I realise that a fifth-generation aircraft is an extremely complex undertaking that cannot simply be conjured up out of thin air, and I’m not familiar with the internal tests – who knows, perhaps they’ve even flown unofficially and the public knows nothing about it.

But at least take some photos and videos, even if it’s just being painted or standing on the ground, etc. TAI really has a lot to learn from Baykar when it comes to public relations. It does – without exaggerating – make a very professional impression, but radio silence is also counterproductive. A fighter aircraft is, after all, a product and thrives on publicity, visibility and presentation. Baykar understands these mechanisms; they release new videos of their products almost every week to ensure they remain in the public eye.

Baykar products are unmanned, they can rush the tests without consequences. TAI has to take it slower and progress when they feel confident. If they say soon for a milestone it is good enough. It does not matter if there is a delay of months and not years.

 

[HKY]

Kaan has been delayed not because of TAİ but subsystem integration. (Radar, eots, irst, Hud, iwb). But the good news is that the first prototype will be very close to the actual serial production aircraft. I mean just look at the russians, su. 57 first flew in 2010 ,16! years ago and they only have some 40 aircraft still not in full serial production.

 

[TheInsider]

Kaan roadmap
P1 first flight very likely in September (August 30 is included)
P2 Q4 2026
P3 Early 2027

As I said earlier, delays are due to subsystem integration

Kaan is delayed due to subsystems delays. I doubt we will see KAAN P1 flying before the NATO summit. We want to integrate certain subsytems on the flight prototype before the first flight.

The original plan was to execute the P1 first flight with bare minimum systems at early 2026/Q1 2026 and complete integration of major subsystems(like EOTS, IRST Radar) before Q3 2026 and achieve a complete flight prototype with all major subsystems on board. The plan changed in favor of lets integrate what we can first and fly after that. I expect P1 first flight in September. The P1 can still fly with a similar setup compared to P0.

The logic is we will conduct the first flight when the fighter is ready. For example, Tusas doesn't want to use the initial flight and mission computers that were on the P0 for the first flight of P1. There are a ton of decisions like that. It can fly tomorrow with the P0 hardware and configuration.

P4,P5,P6 will be in serial production configuration for block 10 they might be the first delivered fighters in 2028. P4,P5,P6 is expected to fly in the second half of 2027. The first delivery of block 10 will be in 2028 there is no change.

Engine road map
2026 PDR will be completed closing meeting will convene soon
2026 CDR will start
2027 Technology demonstrator
2028 Q1/Q2 CDR will be completed
2028 Mature Prototype( it will be produced in parallel with the CDR progress and will be ready when CDR phase is finished)
2029 Q4 mechanical integration
2030 Q4 ground/taxi/flight tests
2032 Q4-2033 Q1 Delivery of the first serial production Kaan block 30 with TF35000 engines.

 

[TheInsider]

A total of 20 block 10s will be delivered in 2028-2029-2030
Deliveries of block 20s will start in 2030 (2030-2031-2032) 20 block 20s will be delivered
A total of 40 Kaans will be delivered between 2028-2032

Internal weapon bay tests will start in 2028. Block 10s will be delivered with deactivated internal weapon bays.
Block 20s will have internal bay capability, more weapon integration, better software and sensor fusion and better MuM-T capability. Block 10s will be upgraded to block 20. Block 20 will be the first version to declare FOC in 2032 (Final operational capability)
Block 30 will see big changes: national engine, some kind of DEW (directed energy weapon) new generators and improved power generation&distribution, more weapon integration, new software & enhanced sensor fusion, enhanced MUM-T, a new RAM coating, a new radar is also on the agenda.